Diva Domitilla, sister of Titus and Domitian. Died before AD 69. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.55 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Domitian, AD 82-83.

Triton XXV
Lot: 845. Estimated: $ 10 000

Roman Imperial, Coin-in-Hand Video, Silver

Sold For $ 22 000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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Diva Domitilla, sister of Titus and Domitian. Died before AD 69. AR Denarius (18mm, 3.55 g, 5h). Rome mint. Struck under Domitian, AD 82-83. DIVA DOMITILLA AVGVSTA, draped bust right, hair in long plait at back / FORTVNA AVGVST, Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding rudder set on ground in right hand and cornucopia in left. RIC II.1 157 (Domitian); RSC 3; BMCRE 137 (Titus); BN 102 (Titus). Light iridescent toning over lustrous surfaces. EF. A delightful portrait. Well struck on a broad flan.

From the Thomas A. Palmer Collection, purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, March 2003.

A vexing problem of Flavian numismatics is the identity of a woman named Domitilla, who died sometime before the family rose to power and was deified and honored on coinage struck under Domitian. Vespasian's wife, the mother of Titus and Domitian, was named Flavia Domitilla and was long regarded as the most likely candidate. However, Vespasian's daughter, the sister of Titus and Domitian, bore the same name and also predeceased Vespasian's rise to power in AD 69; some numismatists, notably Carradice and Buttrey in the revised RIC II (London, 2007) assign the Diva Domitilla coinage to her. A 2010 article by Susan Wood in the American Journal for Archaeology Online, again makes the case for the senior Domitilla: "Her purely symbolic but significant role in the official propaganda contrasts with the living women of Domitian's principate [his sister, Julia Titi, and his wife, Domitia], both of whom held the title of Augusta and were perceived to be rivals for power."

The final winners of all Triton XXV lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 11-12 January 2022. Triton XXV – Session Three – Roman Republican & Imperatorial Coinage through Byzantine Coinage will be held Wednesday morning, 12 January 2022 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.

Winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 22.50% for all others.

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